FLORENCE, S.C. – The Francis Marion University men’s and women’s tennis teams learned late on Wednesday (April 30) that they both have earned invitations to participate in the NCAA Division II Tournament, with the Patriot women set to serve as a first- and second-round tournament host.

This marks the third straight trip for the FMU women, and the eighth in the past 14 years. The Patriot men missed out on last year’s tournament but will be participating for the 12th time in the past 14 seasons. This will be the first time Francis Marion has hosted an NCAA women’s tennis regional. The men served as a host in 2000.

This year’s 61-team women’s field consists of 16 first- and second-round regional sites. FMU will play host to one of two Mid-Atlantic sites on Thursday and Friday (May 8-9). Armstrong Atlantic State University will host the other Mid-Atlantic grouping. Each second-round winner will advance to the national finals, May 14-17, in Houston, Texas.

The 20-2 FMU women, who are ranked ninth nationally, will play 33rd-ranked Erskine College (20-3) on Thursday at 9 a.m. The other women’s first-round match pits 12th-ranked Columbus State University (19-7) against 15th-ranked Georgia College & State University (15-8) at noon. The winners will play on Friday at 10 a.m.

The 55-team men’s field also consists of 16 first- and second-round regional sites. Francis Marion will travel to Greenwood, S.C., for one of the two Mid-Atlantic Region sites. AASU will also host a men’s regional site. As with the women, each second-round winner will advance to the national finals, May 14-17, in Houston.

FMU is ranked 19th with a 16-5 record and will face 20th-ranked Anderson University (18-7) on Thursday at 2 p.m. in a first-round match, while host Lander University, ranked 15th with a 17-6 mark, will play 31st-ranked Augusta State University (15-9) at 10 a.m. The winners will play on Friday at 11 a.m. for the right to advance to the national finals.

The Patriot women and Erskine did not meet in 2008. Erskine is the Conference Carolinas’ regular-season and tournament champion, while FMU placed second during both the Peach Belt Conference regular season and tournament. The 20 victories equal the school record for wins in a season for the FMU women.

The FMU men defeated Anderson 5-2 in Florence back in early February. Anderson is the five-time defending Conference Carolinas’ tournament championship.

Altogether six PBC men’s teams and six women’s squads earned invitations to the Division II national tournament.